Neville: Meeting my childhood heroes — oh, my!

As a kid growing up on the farm, I yearned for adventures and far-away places.

Watching “Star Trek” on television allowed me “to boldly go where no man has gone before.” Recently, I was able to fulfill a lifelong dream of meeting some of my favorite childhood heroes. At a fan convention in Minneapolis, I was able to meet and take a group photograph with actors George Takei, Nichelle Nichols and Walter Koenig. They played “Star Trek” original series characters Sulu, Uhura and Chekov, and I was in “Star Trek” heaven!

“Star Trek” first aired on network TV in September 1966 and ran for three years. Although the show was canceled after three seasons, fans demanded and petitioned for more “Star Trek.” Consequently, a cultural phenomenon was born that spawned numerous feature films and several spin-off television series. These included the animated “Star Trek” series from 1973-74, “Star Trek: The Next Generation” from 1987-94, “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” from 1993-99, “Star Trek: Voyager” from 1995-2001, “Star Trek: Enterprise” from 2001-05, “Star Trek: Discovery” from 2017-present, and beginning in January 2020, “Star Trek: Picard.” There is much to be excited about if you are a “Star Trek” fan.

“Star Trek” was groundbreaking in many ways. One of the mantras of the “Star Trek” universe is the phrase, “Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.” Nowhere was that more evident than in casting a diverse ensemble of lead actors during the turbulent era of the 1960s. Having an African American lead female in network TV was largely unheard of at that time. However, Nichols became frustrated with her lack of dialog and submitted her resignation to “Star Trek” creator Gene Roddenberry. Soon after, she was told that a big fan wanted to meet her. That fan was Martin Luther King Jr., and he told her that she must remain on “Star Trek” and continue to serve as a role model for young African American girls. She agreed and asked Roddenberry for her job back. Roddenberry happily took her back.

Another diverse lead actor in “Star Trek” was Japanese-American actor Takei. Shortly after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, Takei and his family were uprooted from their home in California in 1942. They were placed in internment camps because they looked like those who attacked Pearl Harbor. The musical “Allegiance” tells the story of Takei and his family during that time of discrimination against Japanese-Americans. Today, Takei is a human rights activist, and he continues to fight for the rights of those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. Takei’s deep bass voice is known for his catch phrase, “Oh, my!”

While I was waiting in line to meet the “Star Trek” actors, Nichols was running late so Takei and Koenig came out and talked to several of us in the front of the line and shook our hands. What great fun it was for me to meet the legendary “Star Trek” actors I have watched on TV and in movies for most of my life.